ADVANCE Auburn Center

ABSTRA​CT

ADVANCE Auburn: SEM Transformation through "Small Wins" will develop, adapt, and implement the "small wins" approach for producing lasting change for increasing the representation, participation, advancement and success rate of women faculty in science, engineering and mathematics (SEM) disciplines. The "small wins" approach (Meyerson and Fletcher, 2000) advocates transforming a workplace through a series of small positive changes used to improve the working environment for those who are disproportionately affected by unsupportive and oftentimes inconsiderate practices in the workplace. Since the changes produced by "small wins" are incremental and locally driven, the approach is non-threatening and more easily accepted by an entrenched culture such as often exists in the SEM academic disciplines. Successive "small wins" build upon themselves such that substantive and lasting changes in the work environment and culture are achieved and assimilated over time. This award will develop and apply the "small wins" approach to transform the SEM disciplines at Auburn University and, subsequently, at other institutions.

Auburn received the award in October 2006 and the project is estimated to expire September 2010.